We Can Rebuild Our Party On Our Original Foundation

The word Liberal does not have to be a dirty word. We have lost our way and need to go back to our roots in this province and build again from the strong foundation that was created by one of our past leaders, Laurence Decore.



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Solutions

The following are Bill Harvey's policy platforms, more will be added as the campaign progresses.

These policies are not policies of the left or of the right. These are just policies that time and time again Albertans have indicated they support. It is time our party starts listening to Albertans or we will continue to be relegated to the sidelines or wiped off the electoral map forever.

Health Care – Bill Harvey believes in a hybrid system much like Japan, Australia, France where there is a public universal health care system and also a private system. In these systems the waiting lists are shorter and the outcomes are superior. We need to adopt strategies from the best systems in the world.

Bill is also an advocate of Activity-Based funding in health care. Currently, hospitals in Canada receive block funding, lump sums they spend throughout the year. Under Activity-Based funding, a hospital would be paid for each patient treated and each procedure, according to a price list established by the health authority.

In other words, the money follows the patient to the facility that provides the service. This means we pay hospitals according to services provided not block funding for the year. In other universal systems this has proven to dramatically reduce administration, reduce waiting times, improve service and save money.

For those that say the status quo is acceptable they are not taking into consideration the facts:

  • With Canada's Baby Boomers out numbering the next generation 3 to 1 the upcoming health care crisis will bankrupt Alberta if something does not change now! Currently over 50% of the entire provincial budget is spent on health care.

  • Only Cuba and North Korea have our model in place.

  • Choice and competition is allowed in the Canada Health Act. Quebec and British Columbia have private whereas when Alberta even talks about this we are attacked.

With wait lists at an all time high, hospitals bursting at the seams, very hard to find a family doctor, seniors being treated in a poor fashion and an aging demographic we have a crisis and need to debate this issue and find solutions for this crisis.

Bill will dismantle the health care super board and return to local ones in scope.

Bill will uphold the principles of the Canada Health Act and ensure all Albertans are covered including those that must seek service out of province.

Sources

Economy – For starters we need stability. As a business owner and contributor to the economy, Bill was alarmed when the Alberta government under Ed Stelmach ripped up contracts. Stelmach and his lack of respect for contract law has drawn comparison to Hugo Chavez from Venezuala. This impacts billions in investment from both local and global sources.

  • Bill, would also reduce taxes for small business.

  • Bill will allow competition to the Workers Compensation Board (WCB). Businesses will be required to provide this type of insurance, but will be able to choose from the WCB and private insurance companies.

  • Bill believes in an elimination of Corporate Welfare.
  • Bill would repeal the Community Revitalization Levy and any legislation that will allocate funds towards professional sports facilities.

Reform Of The Human Rights Commissions - Bill will eliminate Section 3 from the Alberta's Human Rights Act. This section has only served to cost Albertans millions of dollars in outrageous complaints and is a blatant attack on freedom of speech and freedom of religion. Bill believes as do most Albertans that this section must be amended as soon as possible. Bill supports the recommendations by the Sheldon Chumir foundation in their document called “Toward Equal Opportunity for All Albertans” Sept 2008 see http://www.chumirethicsfoundation.ca/files/pdf/Toward-Equal-Opportunity_SCF.pdf

The 1960 Canadian Bill of Rights guaranteed: "human rights and fundamental freedoms, namely, (c) freedom of religion; (d) freedom of speech; (e) freedom of assembly and association; and (f) freedom of the press."

In 1982, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guaranteed: "Everyone has the following fundamental freedoms: a) freedom of conscience and religion; b) freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication."

A great video to watch on this is with Ezra Levant taking on the Commissions directly see: "I don’t answer to the state" See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6n3SdV2cwn4

Also watch this great song in tribute of Ezra Levant and his book Shakedown. See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gjH2D1VQJA

Direct Democracy - Reform Elections Alberta, Term Limits, Fixed Election Dates, Free Votes, Referenda & Recall.

Compensation - Bill Harvey that any MLA or Cabinet pay hikes or compensation must be approved by an independent panel that includes small business, large corporations and individuals that will base the compensation on the private sector.

Seniors & Veterans - Bill Harvey is the only Alberta Liberal Party candidate to release a detailed policy platform and a policy for Seniors and Veterans.

Bill is calling for tax cuts for retired seniors and respect for veterans. Bill has stated many times throughout the campaign that we need to focus on ways to keep seniors in their homes instead of forcing them from their homes into facilities that diminish their quality of life.

For Seniors Bill will do the following:

  • Eliminate the education portion of property taxes on retired seniors. This will  help those Albertans that have contributed to our great province stay in their homes longer. These people deserve the tax break and they deserve our respect. 
  • Re-Instate full funding of Chiropractic services covered by the province.

Bill Harvey, also feels that we do not show enough appreciation for Veterans and wishes to do what he can at the provincial level. 

For Veterans Bill will do the following:

  • Permanently eliminate the licence plate fee and yearly registration for Veterans. 

Property Rights - Bill believes in entrenching property rights protection into law. Bill would also eliminate the following bills brought forward by the governing Alberta Progressive Conservative Party government.

Bill 36 - Land-Use Framework, will strip away water rights, grazing leases and other landowner rights, rescind existing lease agreements, override municipal development plans, bestow total control of Alberta’s land use on the Premier and cabinet, limit compensation and block access to the court.

Bill 19 - The Land Assembly Project Area Act, authorizes the government to seize private land from individuals and business without due process and full compensation.

Bill 50 – The Electric Statutes Amendment Act relieves utility companies of having to demonstrate the need for new mega projects being built on that seized land. These massive projects are paid for by taxpayers and the utility companies get to own them.

Education - Bill believes schools should be planned in advance when new communities are developed so people can know when the school will be in their area and count on that commitment. Bill believes in choice in education. He believes in allowing more Charter schools and is also an advocate of home schooling options for parents. Bill also believe in the voucher system where your dollar will follow your child to your school of choice. Bill also believes in the value of standardized testing as a tool for ensuring learning outcomes. Bill believes that post-secondary education can be affordable for every Albertan.

Provincial Rights - Create our own Alberta Pension Plan (APP), Establish our own provincial police force. Control our own Immigration. Bill feels that we must develop other international markets, we can no longer rely on just the United States to be consumers of our products and resources. We must promote a Triple E Senate (Elected, Equal and Effective).

Taxpayer Protection Act - Balanced Budget Legislation, Amendment to the Municipal Act to ensure taxation is only based on inflation and that large projects must be voted upon by voters at election time. Bill would also like to discuss a new agreement with the Province and Municipalities so they have the funding they need without constantly burdening the taxpayer. Bill would also like to look at an elimination of hidden sales taxes & levies (eg. Enmax Utility Franchise Fees).